New GO Transit Routes Link U of G, Toronto

August 29, 2007 - News Release

Starting Sept. 3, GO Transit buses will travel Monday through Friday between the University of Guelph and greater Toronto area, starting as early as 5:40 a.m. and arriving back to campus as late as 12:40 a.m. In addition, two to three buses will run on Sundays and on “holiday Mondays.”

There will be an express route between U of G and Square One in Mississauga and the Cooksville GO Station. It will leave campus nine times a day, starting at 5:40 a.m. and running as late as 10:10 p.m. The bus will also arrive nine times a day from Toronto, starting at 8:10 a.m. with the last bus returning to campus at 12:40 a.m.

GO is also extending its existing Highway 407 bus route that serves its Meadowvale and Bramalea GO stations and York University to include U of G. Eight buses will leave campus daily approximately on the hour starting at 6:30 a.m. until 5:40 p.m., and eight buses will arrive from Toronto, starting at 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Both routes will also serve a new GO park-and-ride lot that will be located in Aberfoyle at Brock and McLean roads, north of the 401.

Schedules and fares for these new services can be found online. Multi-ride tickets and passes will be available for both routes, allowing riders to save up to 40 per cent.

Starting Sept. 10, tickets and passes can be purchased at the Information Desk in Guelph’s University Centre.

The new routes to U of G are part of a national GO Transit Improvement Program (GO TRIP), a billion-dollar expansion initiative funded by the federal government, the provincial government and local municipalities through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

The new regional services will cost $4 million, with the federal and provincial governments splitting the costs. The new routes are expected to serve about 450 riders per day.

“By adding more service, we are making buses a more attractive option for both commuters and university students, therefore fewer cars will be on the road,” said Liz Sandals, MP for Guelph-Wellington.

Ian Weir, Guelph’s manager of parking services and transportation planning, said U of G has been anticipating growth in the number of travellers using transit services to the University, and has been working with Go Transit and others to provide members of the University and local communities with improved services and greater access.

As part of the overall initiative, the City of Guelph and Greyhound Canada will also be improving bus services to campus.

To accommodate the increased bus service, U of G has created a new transit hub within the entrance mall area in front of the University Centre. It includes passenger platforms and bus bays, improved sidewalks, barrier-free ramps, new lighting and new bus shelters.

Vehicular traffic on the roadway in front of the University Centre is now restricted to buses and emergency vehicles.

P42, the new parking lot south of the University Centre, now has an expanded passenger pickup/drop-off area, along with barrier-free parking spaces and short-term parking meters. P1, located near the Axelrod Building, will also provide barrier-free spaces.

“The new transit hub is intended to create a safer, more efficient, environmentally friendly and barrier-free environment,” said Weir.